Gravity-operated level.



C. D. CAUGHRON. GRAVITY OPERATED LEVEL. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 4. 191s.

1,141,31 5, l Patented Jim@ 1, 1915.

cation. i t A Thls inventlon relates to lmprovements 1n j CHARLES noUGLA'ss cAUGHRoN, orsANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA TOaZZ 'w71 om it may concern VBe it known that I, CHARLES" D.` GAUGE- RON, a citizen ofthe United States, residingV at VSanta Ana, in'l thecounty of`4 Orange,

State of Californimhave invented new rand usefulflmprovements in Gravity-Operated Iievels, of which the following is a specifigravity operated levels.

Aneue Object of this invention-merovide a level ofthe.gravity operated type 'which is adaptedto indicate angles of ini `clination aswell as indicating l"horizontal levels, and which will serve as a bob in in- Y dicating perpendiculars, which is so "constrncted that it may be read from four sides of the stock. i i i A; further'objectisto provide a gravity operated leveljwhich will indicate angles byv degrees and alsodesignate inclinations by lineal measurement, as a rise Vor fall in inches to the foot on the horizontal.

-A further object is to `provide a simple form of indicator and a protective mounting therefor which will insulate it and render it unsusceptible to magnetic attraction.

The invention primarily resides in a pair of spaced parallel glass plates having annular anges on their inner faces adapted to abut Vagainst each other -to form a dust- Aproof chamber, means for supporting said glass plates in a level stock, an arbor pivoted between said plates centrally thereof, an indicator comprising a wire secured to said arbor and extending corresponding distances on the opposite sides thereof, and a weightattached to said arbor for maintainingr the wire in a vertical position.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,v in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective 'view of alevel `constructed in accordance'with this invention. Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation of the reading dial formed with graduations for indicating degrees of inclination and also having graduations to indicate rise orfall in relation to a horizontal in lineal measurement. Fig. 3 lis a corresponding detail showing the level as positioned at an angle of forty-five degrees to the horizontal and illustrating the manner of determining said graduated scale; Fig. 4 is detail cross sect1on';on the line inclination by the an enlarged I Specification of Letters Patent.

vof screws 17.

Patented J une 1,1915.

' i Applicatiea ala npvleinter 4, 1,1913.4 seriaiNo.799,`25`a.

i'ijof Fig.` 1. rig. 5 `is a een Versen section on the line 5-5` of Fig. 4.

'More specifically, 6 indicates the level stock which may be of any suitable descriptron, and .is here shown as consisting of the Ordinary type formed ofrwood and rectangular in cross section. The stock 6 v1s formed with a circular opening 7 which e25- tends transverselytherethrough intermed1- ate its ends and is provided forthe receptionf of the gravity operated indicator and its casing: thesstock 6 also being formed and 9 on its edges, whichopen to the opening`7 on diametricallyopposite sides thereof. The housing for the indicator comprises a pair of disks 10 and 11 preferably formedof glass so as to have the combined insulation so` that they may be readily seen through and at the same time be non-conductiye of electricity. l The disks 10 and 11 are formed of an outer periphery conforming tothe inner Wallsof the opening 7 and formed with inwardly extending annular flangesj12 and 13, which' are'adapted "to abut closely toproperties of transparency and i getherywhen the disks are assembled, as

"shown in Fig. 4, to form a space 14 between the disks in which the indicator mechanism is disposed. Thedisks 10 and 11 whenthus joined together approximately lill the space formed by the opening 7 in the stock 6 and are held in place by meansof face plates 15 and 16 countersunk on theoppositesides of the stock 6 and secured thereto by means The face plates 15 and 16 bear against the outer faces of the disks 10 and 11 and are formed with central open-- ings 18 and 19 concentric with the centers centers are depressions 20 and 21, the marginal edges 'of which are formed with beads 22 and 23 adapted to receive and engage annular fianges formed on metallic dust caps 24 and 25.` The caps 24 and 25 are cupshaped in form and their outer peripheries snugly fit the Walls of the depressions 20 and are formed with central openings for` the' reception of the ends of an arbor 26,

Whlch arbor projects through the caps 24 and 25 and has reduced end portions 27 and 28, which are supported on ball bearings 29 and 30 carried in the depressions 20 and 21.

of the disks 10 and 11i. Formed in the inl ner faces of the disks l0 and 11 at their that the ends of the arbor 26 do not extend' through the disks and 11.

Mounted on the arbor Q6 is an indicator 3l comprising a wire bent to form a rectansuch manner that equal portions of the indigular structure, the parallel side portions of which extend through perforationsV in the arbor 26 and are rigidly secured therein 1n cator will extend on opposite sides ofthe arbor 26 /diametrically thereof. The connecting end portions of the indicator 31are arranged to extend close to the inner faces of the flanges 12 and 13 so as to be readily discernible through the slots 8 and 9 on the s edges ofthe stock 6.

Mounted on the underside ofthe arbor 26 is a. weight 32 comprising la cylindrical member secured to the arbor 26 between the side members ofthe indicator 31; the Weight 3Q operating to maintain the indicator 31 in a vertical position irrespective of the inclination of* theV level stock 6 when the latter is in an upright position. This enables the operator to 'determine the angle of inclination of the stock 6, the determining of which is facilitated by .forming graduations' or degree marks 33 on Vthe inner marginal edges of the face plates 15 and 16. These degree marks are shown in Fig.v 2 as extending from the point -aon the face plate 15 around to the left to the point -ofon the upper inner marginal edges of the latter; a corresponding series of graduations being formed von the lower inner vmarginal edge thereof; graduations 34 are formed on4 the platel at the sides of the opening 18 and extend between the sets of degree graduations 33; these graduations 34 being designed to indicate the inclinations of the stock in lineal measure, that is to say, the number of inches of rise or fall in relation to a foot on the horizontal. vMounted on the edges of the stock 6 are face plates 35 and 36 formed with central sight openings 37 and 38 which register with the slots 8 and 9 in thestock and formed on. the longitudinalA edges of the slots 37 and 38 are transverse lines 39 which extend in alinement with the indicator 31 when the level stock 6 is in a'true horizontal position. By ator is enabled to read the level from leither its upperr or lower edge in adjusting the level to the horizontal.

When the parts are assembled as shown in Fig. 4 with the flanges 12 and 13 of the disks 10 and 11 tightly joined together, the indicator 31 and its mounting are incased in a dust-proofand non-magnetic housing.

In the operation of the invention, the inthis provision the oper-A dicator 31 normally 'extends in a vertical position when the level stock 611s in an upright position, as shown in Fig. 1. When the level stock is inclined the `graduated `lace plates will turn in relation `to lthe in- 1. The combinationwith -a level stock. having an opening extending laterally therethrough and slots on its upper andlower 'edges communicating with said opening, a

transparent casing having a Vchamberthere; in and `adapted to be mounted in the o en- 'ingin the stock with its peripheral e ges i exposed through said slots, an arbor incased within said chamber and journaled in depressions insaid casing opening only toV saY the chamberV therein, 4an indicator on Ysaid arbor, aweight for normally maintaining v the indicator ina vertical position, andannular Jface pl'ates'formed with degree marks on opposite sides of the transparent casing by which the latteris held in place in the stock for indicating the degree of inclination of said stock. Y

2. In agravity' operated level, a'stock having a transverse opening therethrough and a' sight slot on the edge thereof communicating with saidl opening, a pair of transparent plates arranged Within the opening, having inwardly-extending flanges joined together to form a chamber between said plates, and oppositely-disposed depressions centrally of the plates opening only to the space therebetween, `an arbor arranged with its ends extending into and terminating in said depressions, ball bearings Y in the depressions forming an antifriction support for said arbor, an indicator on the arbor extending on the opposite sides thereof within the chamber, and a weight on said arbor for normally maintaining the indicator in a vertical position.

3. The combination `with al'level stock having an opening extending laterally therethrough and having slots on Aits upper and lower edges communicating with'sai'd open-V ing, a transparent casing having a chamber therein and adapted to be mounted within the opening in the stock, an arbor within said casing, a pair of parallel membersr rigidly mounted on said arbor and extending on opposite sides thereof, having connecting end portions arranged to extend transversely across the slots in the stock adjacent thereto and a Weight operating on said arbor to normally'maintain said.- parallel members inl a vertical position.

4f. The combination with a level stock having an opening extending laterally therethrough and having slots on'its upper and lower edges communicating with said open-l ing, a transparent casing havinga chamber therein and adapted to be mounted within stock adjacent thereto and a Weight operating on said arbor to normally maintain 1o said member in a vertical position.

CHARLES DoUGLlss GAUGHRON.

Witnesses:

LEONARD D. PHILPOT,- W. V. FRYDENDOLL. 

